Client: Weikersheim, Germany-based TecRMI (formerly AuDaCon AG) is the Europe-wide information specialist for independent market participants in the automotive industry, spare parts market and vehicle repair trade. TecRMI contains technical information on approximately 235 million of the 250 million vehicles registered in Europe. Automobile manufacturers, equipment traders, insurance companies, leasing companies, wholesalers and garages in 19 countries use the company's solutions. To ensure precision and consistency with the data, the application is frequently updated and restructured.

Challenge: The customer wanted to develop a web-based application, TecRMI CAR, to facilitate technicians involved in repair and maintenance of passenger vehicles where the user could get information on:

Vehicle parts

Wiring diagrams

Adjustment and repair data

Maintenance and technical manuals

TecRMI wanted an application with various modules that could be configured without restraint according to the users’ needs and with an easy-to-use graphical selection component. The client needed the portal within three to four months to demonstrate it at a large European automotive show. It chose Strategic Systems International (SSI) based on its track record of delivering large, technically complex software projects on short time frames.

Solution: SSI developed a web portal using MS.NET web technologies, which offered modular system design, graphical component selection, and detailed vehicle information according to the original manufacturer specification. The portal allows a repair shop, for example, to have its own section, allowing mechanics who log into it to find any information on a vehicle. The graphical interface calls up a graphical representation of the car. The user can then point-and-click at a section of the vehicle and see lists of components.

TecRMI CAR consists of the products TecADJUST for providing technical data, TecTIMES for scheduled work times, TecMAINTENANCE with maintenance schedules and TecMANUALS for repair instructions, among other features, including recall and service information.

Result: The tight timeline was met within the planned budget, and the client reported high customer satisfaction with the portal, especially from the graphic selection option. Time for the first iteration of the project was about four months. SSI continues to work on the project a year after the basic release. Quite a few customers signed up based on the initial release, exceeding the client’s business objectives.